A typical computer system includes a data storage system (or subsystem) having one or more disk drives. Some data storage systems allow a user to install or remove a disk drive in a relatively quick manner without handling any cables or screws. FIG. 1 shows a conventional data storage system 20 having relatively quick disk drive installation and removal capabilities. The data storage system 20 includes a disk drive assembly 22 and a main assembly 24. The disk drive assembly 22 has a sheet metal housing 26, a disk drive 28, a daughter card 30 and a lever 32. The main assembly 24 has a sheet metal support structure 34 that defines (i) an opening 36 through which the disk drive assembly 22 enters and exits, and (ii) a back end 38. The main assembly 24 further includes a connector 40 which mounts to the back end 38 of the support structure 34, and a post 44 (e.g., a metallic bar) that fastens to a side or edge of the opening 36 of the support structure 34.
A user can install the disk drive assembly 22 into the main assembly 24, or remove the disk drive assembly 22 from the main assembly 24, by operating the lever 32 and sliding the disk drive assembly housing 26 through the opening 36 of the main assembly support structure 34. The housing 26 includes guides 46, 48 which facilitate motion of the housing 26 within the support structure 34. In particular, the guides 46 align with corresponding guides within the support structure 34 (corresponding guides not shown) to properly align the disk drive assembly 22 within the support structure 34. Furthermore, the guide 48 (and guides 46 to some extent) reduces friction between surfaces of the disk drive assembly housing 26 and the support structure 34.
When the disk drive assembly 22 is properly installed within the main assembly 24, a connecting portion 50 of the daughter card 30 mates with the slot 42 of the connector 40. Contacts along the connecting portion 50 make electrical contact with corresponding contacts within the connector 40. In this mated position, the disk drive assembly 22 is capable of receiving power and communicating with other devices (e.g., a processor) through the connector 40 in order to perform data storage and retrieval operations. The daughter card 30 operates as an interface between the other devices and the disk drive 28.
Further details of the lever 32 and how the lever 32 operates with the disk drive assembly 22 will now be provided with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. The lever 32 includes sides 52 having large fingers 54. The large fingers 54 define grooves 56 with a lower edge 58 of the lever 32. The lever 32 further includes a latch 60 which latches to the housing 26 through a housing hole 70 (FIG. 2) in order to secure the lever 32 in an upright position, and a cavity 62 (FIG. 1) for supporting a light emitting diode (LED) assembly (not shown) to provide operation information to the user when the disk drive assembly 22 is installed and in operation. The lever sides 52 define holes 64 through which hardware pivotably fastens the lever 32 to the housing 26 thus enabling the lever 32 to rotate around a pivot axis 66. In particular, as shown in FIG. 2, metal screws 72 pass through the holes 64 of the lever 32 and corresponding holes in the housing 26, and thread into metal inserts 74 disposed on the interior of the housing 26.
During the disk drive assembly manufacturing process, a user or automated machinery typically installs the screws 72 and inserts 74. In particular, for each side 52, the user or machinery places an insert 74 on the inner side of the housing 26, and passes a screw 72 through a corresponding hole 64 of the lever 32 and through an outer side of the housing 26. The user or machinery then threads that screw 72 into the insert 74 to pivotably secure the lever 32 to the housing 26. Typically, the user or machinery adds the disk drive 28 and the daughter card 30 to the housing 26 in subsequent manufacturing steps.
To install the disk drive assembly 22 into the main assembly 24, the user initially positions the lever 32 away from the housing 26 as shown in FIG. 2. The user then slides the disk drive assembly 22 into the main assembly support structure 34 until the post 44 fits within the groove 56 on each side 52 of the lever 32. The user then pushes on the lever 32 such that the lever 32 rotates about the pivot axis 66 toward the housing 26. As the user pushes on the lever 32, the large fingers 54 of the lever 32 grab the post 44 thus enabling the lever 32 to provide leverage to move the housing 26 further into the support structure 34. Such movement causes the connecting portion 50 of the daughter card 30 to properly mate with the connector 40 in a controlled and consistent manner. The user typically pushes the lever 32 until the lever is completely upright and so that the latch 60 latches into the opening 70 of the housing 26 to secure the lever 32 in the upright position.
To remove the disk drive assembly 22 from the main assembly 24, the user squeezes the latch 60 to release the latch 60 from the housing 26, and pulls the lever 32 away from the housing 26. The lever 32 pivots away from the housing 26, and the edge 58 of the lever 32 pushes against the post 44 to provide leverage that moves the disk drive assembly 22 away from the back end 38 of the support structure 34 in a controlled and consistent manner. Accordingly, the portion 50 of the daughter card 30 disconnects from the slot 42 of the connector 40, and the disk drive assembly 22 slides out of the main assembly 24. The user then lifts the disk drive assembly 22 away from the main assembly 24 to complete the removal process.
Unfortunately, there are drawbacks associated with a conventional disk drive assembly which uses metal screws and metal inserts to pivotably mount a lever to a disk drive assembly housing. For example, with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the screws 72 and the inserts 74 are separate hardware that is dis-contiguous with the lever 32 itself. Accordingly, there is an additional cost associated with the screws 72 and the inserts 74, and an additional time requirement for a user or machinery to install the screws 72 and the inserts 74 in order to pivotably secure the lever 32 to the housing 26. Additionally, there is time and costs associated with training the user or configuring the machinery to properly install the screws 72 and the inserts 74. Furthermore, there is a likelihood that the screws 72 and the inserts 74 will disassemble from the lever 32 causing other problems, e.g., a detached lever 32, a disk drive assembly 22 stuck within a main assembly 24, etc.
In contrast, the invention is directed to techniques which use a press fit lever for a disk drive assembly. Such a press fit lever alleviates the need for additional hardware (e.g., screws and inserts) thus reducing complexity, costs and time associated with installing levers on disk drive assemblies. Furthermore, since there are no screws or inserts required, there can be fewer parts (e.g., no parts) holding the lever in place that could disassemble.
One arrangement is directed to a data storage system having a main assembly and a disk drive assembly. The main assembly includes a supporting structure and a connector fastened to the supporting structure. The disk drive assembly includes a disk drive assembly having a housing, a disk drive attached to the housing, and a lever that installs the housing into and removes the housing from the main assembly to enable the disk drive to respectively connect to and disconnect the connector of the main assembly. The lever includes a frame portion, and side portions that extend from the frame portion. The side portions pivotably couple the lever to the housing in a press fit manner such that the frame portion is capable of pivoting relative to the housing and the main assembly in order to secure the housing to and release the housing from the main assembly. In this arrangement, there is no need for screws or inserts to couple the lever to the housing.
In one arrangement, manufacturing a disk drive assembly for installation within a main assembly involves providing a disk drive, a housing that couples with the main assembly, and a lever. This arrangement further involves attaching the disk drive to the housing; and press fitting the lever onto the housing to pivotably couple the lever to the housing in a press fit manner such that the lever is capable of pivoting relative to the housing around a pivot axis. Accordingly, in this arrangement, there is no need for a user or automated machinery to install any screws or inserts to secure the lever to the housing.
In one arrangement, the housing defines cavities, and the side portions of the lever include stubs that insert into the defined cavities in order to pivotably couple the lever to the housing. Preferably, each side portion includes a finger that defines, with the frame portion, a groove that engages with the main assembly; and each finger has one of the stubs that insert into the cavities defined by the housing. In one arrangement, the frame portion and the side portions including the stubs form a single, contiguous member of the lever. Accordingly, there is no need for any screws or inserts. Rather, the lever can be formed as a single, contiguous member (e.g., molded using plastic injection) for lower manufacturing costs and simpler installation. In one arrangement, the use of complex, automated equipment is unnecessary. Rather, a user can simply snap the press fit lever in place manually. Accordingly, the invention provides a low cost, quick-to-assemble, ergonomically improved technique for manufacturing a disk drive assembly.
In one arrangement, the lever further includes a cantilever mechanism that extends from the frame portion, and forms a single, contiguous member with the frame portion and side portions including the stubs. Preferably, the cantilever mechanism includes multiple cantilever elements, each cantilever element extending from the frame portion. The cantilever mechanism enables the lever to provide enhanced leveraging to install the disk drive assembly within the main assembly in a consistent and controlled manner (e.g., to provide a proper amount of insertion force to mate a connection area of the disk drive assembly to a corresponding connection area of the main assembly).
In one arrangement, installation of the disk drive assembly in the main assembly involves partially inserting the disk drive assembly into the main assembly. Such installation further involves pivoting the lever of the disk drive assembly around a pivot axis, at which the lever is pivotably coupled to the housing in a press fit manner, in order to secure the disk drive assembly to the main assembly. Preferably, the lever includes a frame portion and side portions which define grooves with the frame portion. Here, pivoting the lever involves moving the lever such that the grooves engage with portions of the main assembly when securing the disk drive assembly to the main assembly. Accordingly, the lever can guide the disk drive assembly into the main assembly in a controller and consistent manner with an appropriate amount of insertion force gained by leverage action of the lever (i.e., the grooves) against the main assembly.
In one arrangement, removal a disk drive assembly from a main assembly involves pivoting the lever of the disk drive assembly around a pivot axis, at which the lever is pivotably coupled to the housing in a press fit manner, in order to release the disk drive assembly from the main assembly. Such removal further involves subsequently sliding the disk drive assembly out of the main assembly. In one arrangement, grooves defined by the lever disengage from portions of the main assembly when releasing the disk drive assembly from the main assembly thus enabling the disk drive assembly to exit the main assembly in a controlled and consistent manner.
The features of the invention, as described above, may be employed in data storage systems and other computer-related components such as those manufactured by EMC Corporation of Hopkinton, Mass.